From the time he was drafted fifth overall in 2007, offensive tackle Levi Brown’s tenure with the Cardinals was defined as much by who he was not as who he was.

He was not Adrian Peterson, who was taken seventh that year.

He was not Patrick Willis, who was the 11th pick.

Most of all, Brown was rarely a good player, something the Cardinals admitted on Wednesday for the first time in more than six years.

They traded Brown to the Steelers on Wednesday for a conditional draft pick, the details of which were not released.

The deal is contingent upon Brown passing a physical.

“I don’t think it comes as any surprise that Levi Brown was not living up to our expectations on the field,” General Manager Steve Keim said on Wednesday afternoon. “When the opportunity arose with Pittsburgh to make a trade, we jumped at the opportunity and obviously, wish Levi the best moving forward.”

The Cardinals’ hierarchy of Keim, coach Bruce Arians and team President Michael Bidwill discussed parting with Brown since he struggled in the opening game against the Rams.

In a news conference on Wednesday, Keim and Arians were blunt in explaining why Brown was traded.

“Really, I don’t think there is any risk,” Arians said of the move. “Because of the problems that have occurred, I don’t think they will get any worse. And, hopefully, they’re going to get better.”

What the Cardinals decided is that Bradley Sowell, a second-year player who wasn’t drafted and was cut by the Colts this summer, can’t be any worse than Brown.

If it turns out he is, then the Cardinals will turn to Nate Potter.

“In talking with (John) Abraham and our pass rushers, they think the kid’s got a great future,” Arians said. “I judge a lot when I go to veteran players and ask them.”

Sowell will “have his issues from time to time,” Keim said, “but what we’re banking on is a guy who is going to continually grow and get better and a guy we can win with in the future.”

The Cardinals prefer to find out now what kind of player Sowell is. Or can be. They already knew what Brown could do. Or couldn’t.

They were so eager to dump Brown that they are paying $2.8 million of the remaining $3.6 million Brown is due to make this year, according to a report by Jason LaCanfora of CBS.

Brown re-signed with the team in 2012, but that was when Rod Graves was general manager and Ken Whisenhunt the head coach.

Brown received a signing bonus of $7 million and is making $4.75 million in salary this year. For cap purposes, the Cardinals would still have to account for $4.2 million of the signing bonus.

That $4.2million would count against next year’s cap.

Parting with Brown is a startling reversal of opinion for Arians, who in the off-season called Brown an “elite” player.

Arians said he based that opinion on watching video of Brown playing against the Saints in 2011. The Cardinals didn’t play the Saints that year, but they did play them in 2010.

Brown missed the 2012 season with a torn triceps tendon and wasn’t the same player Arians and his staff watched on video, Arians said.

The Cardinals don’t expect there to be a drop in performance with Sowell, because it can’t be worse than Brown’s, they said.

“I think it’s either going to be maintained or potentially have some growth in that area,” Keim said.

Sowell, who played at Mississippi, was with the Colts last year with Arians and offensive coordinator Harold Goodwin.

Asked if he was ready for the opportunity, Sowell replied, “As ready as I can be.”

In his first start, he will face Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy, a teammate of his at Mississippi.

“I've been trying to text him,” Sowell said. “I said ‘(let me) keep my job for at least one week.’”

Reach Somers at kent.somers@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8335. Follow him at Twitter.com/kentsomers.

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